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Abstract

An archaeological excavation was carried out at a site at Hunter Army Airfield in order to discover at what times and in what ways earlier cultures used the site. Artifacts were found indicating that North American Indians from as far back as 3000 B.C. up to 1400 A.D. lived in the area that was tested, but that the heaviest occupation was probably by Indians of the Deptford culture (500 B.C. - 700 A.D.). Evidence of an early colonial occupation, consisting of domestic artifacts dating from 1740 to 1760, was also found. Finally, a small 19th century graveyard belonging to the family of John McNish was tested to see if any burial pits were present in the grave enclosure. Besides several inscribed gravestone fragments, four grave pits of different sizes were discovered, indicating that two adults and two children are buried there. Documentary records relating to John McNish were checked, and it was learned that he was an important businessman in Savannah during the first quarter of the 19th century and that he once owned a plantation called the Hermitage in the Hunter Army Airfield area.